Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk denies he’s building a private airport in Texas

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is denying news reports that he’s building a private airport near Bastrop. On Thursday morning, he took to Twitter to push back on stories reporting the rumored development east of Austin. “Not true,” he tweeted in response to an article posted by Express-News sister site MySA.com. “Tesla is 5 mins from Austin International airport. Would be silly to build another private airport.” Multiple news outlets had earlier reported on the rumored development. A story Monday by the Express-News quoted a Bastrop County official saying the county hadn’t been notified of plans for an airport. The story also sought but received no comment from Austin-based Tesla, SpaceX and The Boring Co.

The possibility of a private airfield was first reported by Austin news site Austonia. Without identifying them, Austonia a week ago reported “multiple sources” had confirmed the existence of conceptual plans for such a facility. The story drummed up attention about how the globe-hopping billionaire would use the airport. While denying he was building an airport, Musk said Thursday that Austin does need more infrastructure for air travel. “The existing commercial airport needs another runway,” he tweeted, “as Austin is growing fast!” Musk officially moved the $1.1 billion Tesla headquarters to its factory near Austin from Fremont, Calif., in December. Gigafactory Texas sits on 2,200 acres off Texas 45 and U.S. 130 near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.